Investment in Loans (Schedule of Residential Mortgage Loans) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance		$ 4,073,065	$ 2,366,724
Unamortized Premium (Discount)		(150,657)	(143,262)
Fair Value	[1],[2]	$ 3,822,895	$ 2,415,321
Weighted Average
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Weighted Average Coupon		1.66%	3.52%
Weighted Average Yield		4.05%	3.24%
Weighted average life		7 years 1 month 2 days	5 years 11 months 8 days
Residential mortgage loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance		$ 3,597,404	$ 1,969,874
Unamortized Premium (Discount)		46,583	44,039
Amortized Cost		3,643,987	2,013,913
Gains		2,590	15,499
Losses		(297,767)	(13,184)
Fair Value		3,348,810	2,016,228
Residential mortgage loans | Non-performing
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance		36,738	33,949
Fair Value		$ 33,969	$ 30,806
Residential mortgage loans | Weighted Average
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Weighted Average Coupon		6.22%	5.63%
Weighted Average Yield		5.56%	4.68%
Weighted average life		4 years 1 month 9 days	2 years 18 days
Consolidated securitization trusts [Member] | Residential mortgage loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Gains		$ 70	$ 11,500
Losses		233,400	3,700
Loans held-for-investment [Member] | Residential mortgage loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance		3,281,521	1,958,807
Unamortized Premium (Discount)		42,821	45,462
Amortized Cost		3,324,342	2,004,269
Gains		2,494	13,792
Losses		(274,648)	(13,173)
Fair Value		$ 3,052,188	$ 2,004,888
Loans held-for-investment [Member] | Residential mortgage loans | Weighted Average
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Weighted Average Coupon		6.22%	5.63%
Weighted Average Yield		5.53%	4.67%
Weighted average life		3 years 11 months 26 days	2 years 21 days
Loans held-for-sale | Residential mortgage loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance		$ 315,883	$ 11,067
Unamortized Premium (Discount)		3,762	(1,423)
Amortized Cost		319,645	9,644
Gains		96	1,707
Losses		(23,119)	(11)
Fair Value		$ 296,622	$ 11,340
Loans held-for-sale | Residential mortgage loans | Weighted Average
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Weighted Average Coupon		6.16%	4.58%
Weighted Average Yield		5.91%	5.94%
Weighted average life		5 years 4 months 28 days	29 days
Non-QM loan securitization | Residential mortgage loans | Consolidated Entities [Member] | Securitized loans [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Fair Value		$ 1,762,845	$ 1,041,545

[1] Ellington Financial Inc.'s Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet includes assets and liabilities of variable interest entities it has consolidated. See Note 9 for additional details on Ellington Financial Inc.'s consolidated variable interest entities.

[2] Includes assets pledged as collateral to counterparties. See Note 11 for additional details on the Company's borrowings and related collateral.